Songs of Service ‎#142

142. Upidee

1 The shades of night were falling fast,
Tral la la, Tral la la,
As thro' an Alpine village passed,
Tral la la la la!
A youth, who bore, 'mid snow and ice
A banner with the strange device,

Chorus:
Upideei, deei, da,
Upidee, Upida,
Upideei, deei, da,
Upideeida!
*r - r - r - r - r - r - r - r - r - r - r - r - r - r -
r - r - r - r - r - r - r - r - r - r yah! yah! yah! yah!
Upideei, deei, da,
Upidee, Upida,
Upideei, deei, da,
Upideeida!

2 His brow was sad his eye beneath,
Tral la la, Tral la la,
Flash'd like a faulchion from his sheath
Tral la la la la!
And like a silver clarion rung
The accents of that unknown tongue, [Chorus]

3 "O stay," the maiden said, "and rest,"
Tral la la, Tral la la,
"Thy weary head upon my breast,"
Tral la la la la!
A tear stood in his bright blue eye,
But still he answered with a sigh, [Chorus]

4 At break of day as heavenward
Tral la la, Tral la la,
The pious monks of Saint Bernard,
Tral la la la la!
Uttered the oft repeated prayer,
A voice cried through the startled air, [Chorus]

5 A trav'ler, by the faithful hound,
Tral la la, Tral la la,
Half buried in the snow was found,
Tral la la la la!
Still grasping in his hand of ice,
That banner with the strange device, [Chorus]

* Imitating a watchman's rattle

Text Information

• First Line: The shades of night were falling fast
• Title: Upidee
• Refrain First Line: Upideei, deei, da
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1918

Tune Information

• Name: [The shades of night were falling fast]
• Incipit: 16543 23117 51641
• Key: G Major